Ecocide in Slovenia: Bee colony collapse

Slovenian bee colonies are in great danger, for they are again being killed in mass quantities due to extensive use of Phytopharmaceuticals in agriculture. There was a huge colony collapse in Slovenia already in 2011 due to insecticide called Clothianidin which belongs to the group of neonicotinoids. Neonicotinoids are insecticides that are chemically similar to nicotine, which has been used as a pesticide since the late 1700s and acts on central nervous system of an animal which results in its death.

At the Beekeeping Association of Slovenia they are convinced that this is as they say, a systematic problem and they blame not the farmers that use those Phytopharmaceuticals, but the companies that produce them. They say farmers don’t always know what exactly is in the products they buy. The fact is also that the concentration of the active ingredients in the Phytopharmaceuticals is the highest in spring and that could result in high risk for bees survival.

Kerstin Salen
· Sunday May 18th, 2014 at 09:21 PM

GMO crops are designed to withstand the chemicals used to control both insects and weeds. GMO corn, as well as other crops, can be sprayed with neonicotinoid systemic pesticide and herbicides, allowing all other plants to be killed except the GMO crop being cultivated. Roundup Ready crops is the best known example.

Systemic pesticides are also applied to the seeds prior to planting. For some crops such as corn, soybean, and cotton, better than 90% of the seeds planted are coated with neonicotinoid system pesticides. While GMO and neonicotinoid applied systemic pesticides are two different issues, from an industry practical application, they are one and the same.

How does systemic pesticides work?
Systemic pesticides are absorbed into the plant as they grow, being soaked up into the root system. The pesticides are in the entire plant. So any pest eating on the leaves on the treated plant is killed. This is the intended purpose. But those same pesticides are also now in the pollen, which is being collected by the honey bees, beneficial pollinators, and other insects. Neonicotinoid and systemic treated seeds can easily be recognized as seeds with various colors such as purple, pink, green, and blue coatings.
Roundup is commonly used in industrialised agriculture and this might be the reason bees everywhere are affected.Of course the manufacturer, like in this case Monsanto, should be held responsible for the ecocide they are causing.Thank you and best wishes Kerstin

An excellent explanation Keratin. The big worry is all this chemicals end up in the foods we eat. No wonder human beings suffer from an increased number of illnesses which then have to be treated with drugs probably often made by the same offending companies. Peter

Barbara Dickson
· Wednesday May 21st, 2014 at 07:44 PM

pauline
· Thursday May 29th, 2014 at 06:06 PM

The Ecocide law seems like a good start, share it widely among your friends, colleagues and family! 🙂
If you want to help us, you can also become a volunteer at End Ecocide on Earth 🙂
contact : lucia@endecocide.eu